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Application guidelines

How to prepare a complete application for the selection of Human Rights Council mandate holders?

  • Part 1. The compulsory online survey should be completed in full by the deadline, in English or French only. All fields of the survey should be completed, and acronyms and abbreviations should not be used. Candidates are encouraged to complete the survey first.
  • Part 2. The compulsory mandate-specific Word application form (to be downloaded from the relevant selection process web page) should be completed in full by the deadline, in English or French only. Candidates are encouraged to read the instructions contained in the form carefully and to fill the form in accordance with such instructions.
    • Candidates applying to more than one mandate in a given selection process should submit a mandate-specific Word application form for each mandate.
    • The name and surname reflected in the online survey and in the Word application form (both in sections I (personal data) and VIII (certify and submit application)) should fully coincide.
    • In both the online survey and the Word application form, candidates should select only one nationality as the nationality that will be used as reference for the selection process, including for the public list of eligible candidates. Any additional nationality/es can be listed in the fields dedicated to that effect in the online survey and Word application form. The information provided in this respect in the online survey should fully coincide with that provided in the Word application form.
    • Candidates eligible for the vacancies in Working Groups and in the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development are only nationals of States belonging to the specific regional groups for which specific vacancies have been advertised. For members of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, candidates need to represent the indigenous sociocultural regions for which the respective vacancies have been advertised.
    • Candidates should not use acronyms or abbreviations without spelling them out at first use.
    • Candidates listing publications or public statements in section II.4 of the form in a language that is not one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat are encouraged to include an informal translation into English or French in brackets.
    • The motivation letter in section III of the form should be written by the candidates themselves, even if nominated by another stakeholder, and should include the candidate’s vision for the mandate.
    • Candidates are requested to fill sections V (education) and VI (employment) of the form fully and according to instructions, without using acronyms or abbreviations. These sections are essential for determining the eligibility of candidates as regards their academic qualifications and professional experience in the field of human rights. According to the practice established by successive Consultative Groups, applicants are considered eligible if they hold an advanced university degree such as master’s or equivalent (minimum duration of four years in full-time study), and have at least seven years of relevant professional experience in the field of human rights. A minimum of 11 years of relevant professional experience in the field of human rights may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree (even in this case, candidates should at least hold a first-level university degree).
    • In section VII (compliance with ethics and integrity provisions) of the form, replying “yes” to question 4 means compliance with the provisions in paragraphs 44 and 46 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and replying “no” means non-compliance with such provisions. In case the reply to question 4 is “no”, candidates are requested to provide a reply to question 5 as well.
    • Candidates are requested to complete section VIII (certify and submit application) of the form by inserting their full name and date.
  • Candidates can submit a maximum of three letters of support. These are not compulsory. Additional letters will not be accepted. Letters of support may be submitted by the candidates themselves or by third parties by email directly to the Secretariat by the deadline (the name of the candidate should be clearly identified in the subject of the email). Letters of support received after the deadline will not be accepted.
  • Documents other than the mandate-specific Word application form and three letters of support, such as CVs and resumés, will not be accepted.
  • Before submission, candidates are encouraged to thoroughly review the Word application form to ensure that all sections, without exception, have been fully completed in accordance with the instructions contained in the form. This will avoid delays in the processing of the application.
  • Early submission of both compulsory parts of the application, i.e., online survey and mandate-specific Word application form, is strongly encouraged, in particular to avoid technical difficulties. Incomplete and late submissions will not be considered under any circumstances. Deadlines usually expire at 12 noon (i.e., midday) Geneva time.

For additional information on the criteria under which candidates are assessed and a comprehensive overview of the selection and appointment process, please visit the Consultative Groups’ frequently asked questions web page.

How to submit a complete application?
English | Français |  Español (PDF)
English | Français |  Español (Word)